Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| que tengas un buen día | /ke tenɡas un bwen dia/ (from spelling rules) | informal |
| que tenga un buen día | /ke tenɡa un bwen dia/ (from spelling rules) | formal |
| buen día | /ˌbwen ˈdia/ |
These phrases are used as a polite way to say goodbye. Depending on the level of formality or the specific sentiment you want to convey, you might use variations like que tenga un excelente día (have an excellent day) or que disfrute de su día (may you enjoy your day).
Which one should you use?
que tengas un buen día is a complete sentence, whereas buen día is a shorter, more elliptical way to say "have a good day".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use the formal form que tenga un buen día when speaking to elders, superiors or strangers to show respect. For informal situations, such as speaking to friends, family or people your own age, use que tengas un buen día. Other informal options include que la pases bien (have a good time) and que te vaya bien (may things go well for you).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, it is common to hear que tengas un lindo día to convey the sentiment of "have a nice day".
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing someone informally, use the form que tengas un buen día. When addressing someone formally, use que tenga un buen día.
Did you know?
- While día and the English word 'day' look and sound similar, they are not cognates and come from completely different roots.
- Depending on the country, using the formal que tenga un buen día with a peer can be perceived as cold or sarcastic rather than polite.
- In certain Latin American contexts, people may accompany the sentiment of que tengas un buen día with a light pat on the shoulder or a brief hug.
Examples in context
- Cuídate y que tengas un buen día.Take care and have a nice day.This sentence shows how to combine "take care" with the informal form que tengas un buen día.Tatoeba #1617834 by marcelostockle, translation #1617777 by Spamster
- Que tengas un buen día.Have a nice day.This is a standard way to use the informal form que tengas un buen día.Tatoeba #336528 by kylecito, translation #30085 by CK
- ¡Que tenga un buen día!Have a nice day!This demonstrates the use of the formal form que tenga un buen día with an exclamation mark.Tatoeba #10352410 by DJ_Saidez, translation #30095 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are saying goodbye after meeting at a cafe.
- MaríaGracias por el café, Daniel.Thanks for the coffee, Daniel.
- DanielDe nada, María. Que tengas un buen día.You're welcome, María. Have a nice day.
- MaríaIgualmente, nos vemos pronto.You too, see you soon.
- Daniel¡Adiós!Goodbye!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “have a nice day” translations and entries buen día, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buen, día, que, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
